Roman (The Clutch Series Book 1)

by Heidi McLaughlin

  With Roman, I’m having fun. Silly, stupid fun, but nonetheless each time I leave him at my door, breathless and wanting more from him, I’m grinning from ear to ear and squealing like a schoolgirl because he makes me happy. I can’t recall a time when I’ve ever been romanced like this. After Roman’s first mishap with flowers, which granted, he had no idea I was allergic to, and with the overly expensive jewelry, which he insisted I keep, Roman has been very tame with his gifts. I told him, little things go a long way. So, when he shows up with a pint of ice cream that hasn’t melted because of his ice cold body temp, I can’t help but fall for him a little bit more.

  I stare at my reflection in the mirror, angling my head to the left and then to the right, elongating my neck. My fingers touch the spot where I think Roman would bite me if I were to allow. I know he wants to. He spends a long time touching the spot where my jugular is, and there have been brief moments when I’ve almost given in, but I can’t bring myself to say those words. For one, pain. I’m weak and cry when I have a paper cut. The thought of his razor-sharp teeth breaking through my skin makes my stomach burn with fear. I know he said he’d never hurt me but come on, teeth ripping through flesh is going to hurt. Second, I hate the sight of blood. Third… well, I still have a problem accepting he’s a vampire because he doesn’t act like one. I don’t know how many hours Roman has spent mimicking humans, but he’s damn good at it, and honestly part of me wants to see his vampire side. The other part of me is like nope, the big bad vamp needs to stay hidden.

  Still hanging from my neck is my cross. I don’t know whether to take it off or not. Roman hasn’t asked, not that I think he would, but I haven’t asked him whether it makes him uncomfortable. I know it’s supposed to relay the message I don’t want to be compelled. However, some of my readings indicated that a cross could physically hurt a vampire. Is it painful for Roman to be with me? He hasn’t said anything, not that I think he would, but still, the last thing I want is to cause him any unneeded pain.

  My readings also say if a vampire doesn’t eat, they’ll experience discomfort, and that feeding is usually tied to a sexual encounter. I asked Roman if feeding is sexual and he says no, but Lana says otherwise. She’s never given me a reason to doubt her, and as far as I’m concerned, she’s my vampire expert. I could ask Lydia, but I don’t know her well enough, and she’s the wife of Roman’s friend. Surely, they talk, and the last thing I want is for Roman to think I don’t trust him. I do, but not fully.

  The house phone rings and I rush from the bathroom to answer. “Hello.”

  “Ms. Weston, there’s a Mr. Roman requesting access to your floor.”

  “Please send him up.” Even though Roman knows he can come up anytime he wants, he’s a gentleman and likes to announce his arrival. Truth be told, I like it, and I find myself pacing in front of my door, waiting for the elevator to ding. Once it does, my hand is resting on the knob, anticipating his knock. I haven’t seen Roman in ten hours, and as much as I want to think he’s watching me while I sleep, I know he isn’t. What he’s doing though, I’d like to know. Meeting with other vampires doesn’t exactly tell me much.

  Roman’s knock is soft considering he could easily tear my door off the hinges. I open it, with a smile on my face, and take in the man I’m enjoying spending all my free time with. He’s standing there, with his hands in his pockets, looking as dashing as ever with his permanent stubble and icy blue eyes.

  “Hi.” One would think I’ve run a marathon by the way I sound right now. Somehow, running from the bathroom to the living room doesn’t count as physical exercise.

  “You look beautiful.”

  I look down at what I’m wearing. Chino shorts, black strappy sandals and a black tank top that doesn’t scream stylish, but our plans for the day consist of taking a trip to Hoover Dam.

  “I look plain and ordinary.”

  “There’s nothing ordinary about you, Fiona.” Roman’s arm extends over the threshold, and his hand gently cups my face while his thumb brushes over my cheekbone. I turn and place a kiss on his palm. “We should go,” he says, abruptly. “Are you wearing sunblock?”

  “Yes, are you?” I counter, only to realize what I’ve said.

  Roman laughs. “The sun doesn’t bother me, make me sparkle or turn my body to dust. But you, on the other hand, could turn into what you humans refer to as a lobster, and from what I understand, you wouldn’t want to be touched, and I can’t have that, now can I?”

  My insides alight with desire at his words. I swallow hard, trying to clear the lump that’s formed in my throat. “No, I suppose we can’t.” I grab my purse and follow Roman to the elevator. We stand side by side until we’ve reached the bottom floor. He places his hand on my back to guide me out of the elevator and hotel where the valet is.

  “We’re this way.” Roman directs me toward a cherry red Jeep Wrangler. The top is down and sitting in the back are Lydia and Damen. “You remember Lydia?”

  “Yes, hi again,” I say, accepting Roman’s help as I climb in. Damen thrusts his hand forward, taking mine in his.

  “I’m Damen, Lydia’s husband.”

  “Hi, I’m--”

  “Roman’s,” Damen says matter-of-factly. I glance at Roman, who’s frowning.

  “I brought you a hat,” Roman says, handing me a baseball cap. “You might want it when we’re on the freeway for the wind.”

  “Thank you.” Within seconds, we’re in the middle of the Las Vegas traffic heading toward Boulder City. The sun is hotter than I expected. Usually, I’m in the comfort of air conditioning, but I imagine being a vampire, feeling something like the wind in your hair and not having to worry about sunblock is nice.

  As soon we’re on the freeway, Roman’s hand touches my leg. Instantly, my scorched skin cools down, and I realize why we’re in a convertible. The hotter I am, the more I’ll need Roman. It’s a different form of chivalry, and I love it.

  The drive is about forty minutes or so depending on traffic. We arrive the second the park opens, beating the crowd. After we park on the top floor of the parking structure, Roman and Damen lead Lydia and me to the stairs. “Hop on,” Roman says, motioning to his back.

  “Excuse me, what?”

  Roman points to Lydia, who is about to get a piggyback ride from Damen.

  “It’ll be faster.” He must sense my hesitation. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve had a one of these. “I’ll be safe.”

  “You’re going to carry me down the stairs? I have two legs, I can walk perfectly fine.”

  “No one’s saying you can’t walk. But if I carry you, we get down to the bottom faster.”

  “Why didn’t you just park down there?” I ask, jutting my foot out.

  For the first time since I’ve met him, Roman rolls his eyes. “Because sometimes vampires are over the top and we like to use the abilities we have for fun. We happen to love racing downstairs.”

  I look to Lydia for confirmation. “It’s true. We live on the top floor of our apartment complex and have yet to use the elevator.”

  “Not true,” Damen says. “We used it for sex.”

  Lydia swats Damen on the shoulder. “We broke the elevator and have been afraid to use it ever since.” Damen laughs and shrugs.

  “You won’t drop me?”

  “Never, Fiona.” Roman helps me onto his back and makes sure I’m secure. “You may want to close your eyes.” I do as he says, shutting my eyes and wrapping my arms around his neck. I suppose if I hang on too tightly, he won’t choke to death.

  No sooner do I close my eyes, Roman taps my leg, signaling for me to get down. I open my eyes slowly and look around. A few people are staring, probably wondering why an adult woman is hanging off the back of her man, but nonetheless, the looks are odd. I disengage and slide down Roman’s back and reach for his hand.

  “I feel like I missed something by keeping my eyes closed.”

  “You didn’t,” Lydia says. “It takes awhile for you to adj
ust to their speed, at least it did for me. The first time I kept my eyes open, I was sicker than a dog.” She and Damen walk ahead.

  Roman goes to follow, but I hold him back. “What is it?” he asks.

  “Nothing. I just wanted a moment with you.” He pulls me to him and kisses me lightly, and just like that, all seems right in my world.

  Like a typical outing, I make Roman take picture after picture with me. Every time we stop to read a placard, I use the opportunity to capture the moment. And every time I start to get too hot, I pull my boyfriend close and use his cool temperature to cool down.

  Boyfriend? Did I really call him my boyfriend? Yes, I did, and I really like the sound of it.

  “Are you having fun?”

  “I am, are you?” I ask him.

  He nods and leans over the wall, spreading his arms wide.

  “Please don’t do that,” I beg.

  Roman stops and pulls me into his arms. “You do know, if I fell, I’d live.”

  I shrug. “I’m still learning.”

  “I’m invincible.”

  “Mhm…” I rest my head on his shoulder and let him hold me. Between the wind at my back and him, I shiver.

  “I think you’re the only one in Boulder City who is cold right now.”

  “You’re my personal air conditioner.”

  Roman laughs. “I can be a lot more if you’d like.” He tugs at the bottom of my earlobe. The simple act increases my body temperature, making me hot… for him.

  After the dam, we drive to the lake where the vampire men have packed a lunch and plenty of water for Lydia and me. The men have decided to show off their strength by climbing up a deadly rock formation and diving into the lake. Admittedly, this act would kill a human, but not Roman and Damen. Nope, these two resurface without a single scratch on them.

  Once we get back to the hotel, Roman hands his keys over to Damen and tells him he’ll pick up the Jeep later. Roman and I walk, hand in hand, through the lobby and inside the elevator; I let him know with my mouth that I want him to stay. His hands are all over me, and mine is in his hair, tugging at the ends of his perfectly coifed strands.

  Thank heavens Roman’s senses are extraordinary because he moves me from the elevator to my door without missing a step. Somehow, I get my front door open, and we’re inside without much effort.

  “Roman…”

  “Yes, Fiona,” he whispers against my skin as his mouth abates my warm flesh. “I can smell your need for me.”

  “I’m sorry, what the fuck did you say?”

  I push Roman away at the sound of my father’s voice. He’s standing in my foyer, his face red and his fist clenched. “Daddy,” I say, scrambling to fix myself and pull away from Roman, but he doesn’t budge. He lets out a low growl as he turns and looks over his shoulder. From this angle, I can see one of his fangs. “Roman?” my voice quivers.

  “Get the hell away from my daughter.” In my father’s hand is a stake. Roman turns, shielding me. “Did you hear me, monster? You’re not welcome here.”

  The grip Roman has on my hip tightens. “Roman, please.”

  “I will end you!” my dad yells. He rushes toward us with his arm raised and the stake heading toward Roman. In a flash, there’s a deafening crash and a loud roar, followed by screaming. Roman’s arms are around me, telling me everything's okay. I realize, I’m the one screaming and I don’t know why.

  I look at Roman, who seems pensive. Beyond me, there’s a moan, and I turn to find my dad lying on the floor with blood coming from a cut on his forehead. “Daddy,” I say, pushing away from Roman. “Dad, can you hear me?”

  He moans. I glance over my shoulder at Roman. “What did you do?”

  “He interrupted us,” he says as if this is no big deal.

  “So you try to kill him,” I state, standing up. “That’s my father, Roman. The man you so desperately want to do business with.” Roman’s eyes go from mine to my dad’s and back to mine. I shake my head. “Roman, you have to leave.”

  “No, I should stay.”

  “You can’t.” I point to the door and look at the floor, unable to look Roman in the eyes. Once he leaves, I rush to the bathroom for my first aid kit. When I get back to my dad, he’s standing and holding the back of his head.

  “Sit down, let me take a look at your head.”

  “What the hell are you doing with a vampire, Fiona? You let that monster touch you.”

  I ignore him.

  “Fiona!” He grabs my hand, stopping me from putting a piece of gauze on his forehead. “He’s going to kill you, Fiona. He’s a monster. They can’t be trained to act like humans.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “Look at your wall and tell me that is normal.” He jabs his finger toward my now shattered mirror and broken side table. “He tried to kill me because I walked in before he bit you. He was treating you like prey, not a human. I won’t stand for this, Fiona. You know this.”

  My dad stands and abruptly walks by me, muttering something unintelligible. I jump when my door slams, leaving me with a heart that’s about to beat out of my chest. I look over my shoulder at the mess where my dad landed against the wall, and let my tears fall. I knew Roman was too good to be true.

  15

  Roman

  Who the fuck just carries around a goddamn stake for killing vampires? It’s not the fucking dark ages anymore. All I can think is that he’s so crazy and misguided that he has never even met an actual vampire. What the fuck? When she insisted I leave, she wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. I simply don’t understand. Her father tries to kill me, completely unprovoked, but I have to leave? It’s fucking ridiculous, and I’m seeing red.

  I bolt in an instant, blowing down the stairwell and out the door without being seen. Utilizing the supernatural ability to leave quickly is the only thing that I knew to do. I haven’t wanted to rip a human being to shreds in a hundred years. The way he attacked me filled me with such rage that my body temperature felt as though it had risen, which is completely impossible.

  Practically flying, I get myself to Clutch and look for Selene. I don’t say hello to anyone I recognize; I’m in no mood. When I find her, she is talking to some vampires I know, and I walk over and grab her arm, dragging her away.

  “What the fuck, Roman?” She growls at me before hissing and showing her fangs.

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “I can see that, but you don’t get to manhandle me like that,” she says, yanking her arm back. I’m beside myself with frustration and begin running my hands through my hair, pacing back and forth. “What the fuck is going on, Roman?”

  “I had a situation tonight.”

  “That’s obvious.” She rolls her eyes and waves her hand, encouraging me to continue.

  “Fiona’s father tried to kill me,” I blurt out.

  “What? How the hell did this happen?” She looks around the room to see if anyone has heard us. She nods for me to follow her as she walks toward her office.

  I sit in the chair across from her desk, exasperated. “Things were fine, or so I thought. Fiona and I went to Hoover Dam with Damen and Lydia. After, we went back to her apartment. I actually think that tonight was going to be the night she let me stay.”

  “Obviously that wasn’t the case. Where does her father come in?” Selene leans back in her chair, arms crossed, looking at me intently. Run-ins with humans who want to kill you, is never good, and I know this.

  “We were… kissing. And when we entered her house, her father was standing there and saw us. He flipped out, and came after me with a fucking stake.”

  Groaning, Selene buried her face in her hands. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Uh, no. No, I’m not.”

  “For fuck's sake. Then what? You didn’t kill him, did you?” She leans over her desk, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at me condemningly.

  “No, I didn’t fucking kill him! It’s not the 17th century for
Christ’s sake. I threw him into the wall, which of course ended up being far more dramatic than it probably needed to be. There was a large mirror and a table there which all smashed, and he fell to the ground.” I am experiencing a range of emotions from rage, to frustration, to concern over Fiona’s well being. Letting out a sigh, I hang my head and lean forward, resting my elbows on my lap.

  “How did Fiona respond?” she asks calmly.

  “She told me to leave.”

  “I see. And this clearly upsets you. So, what do you want from me, Roman? She’s your consort; your problem. You can’t throw humans into fucking walls though, or you’re going to create attention where it’s not needed, and certainly not wanted. I don’t want a visit from the Sisters, do you? I’m not about our creators coming to town to rain down their punishment for this.” She was stern and narrowed her green eyes at me.

  “Of course I don’t. I get it, Selene. It was an accident. I knew her dad hated vampires, we’ve been down that road. But I didn’t know he’d be carrying a fucking wooden stake with him to just stab a vampire any old fucking time. I was caught off guard. I haven’t been attacked by a human in a hundred and fifty years.”

  She relaxes again and leans back in her chair with a thoughtful expression. “Okay, okay. You’re right. Nobody expects to get staked on a date these days. He sounds like a real piece of work.” She rolls her eyes as she says it. “So, I presume you’re here because you’re upset over Fiona, and you want my advice?”

  “Yes, Sherlock, how astute of you.” I roll my eyes right back at her. “That’s exactly what I want. You’ve been my friend for centuries. How do I fix this?”

  “Stop fucking pursuing humans who don’t come along willingly would be my best advice.”

  “That’s not an option here. I need her.” I catch myself before saying that I love her. I know it seems like a crazy thing to say or to feel. I’ve never tasted her. She doesn’t take that fucking cross off. But she lets me in emotionally. Her heart is kind. Her innocence and her desire to understand me draws me in.